A riveting exploitation of the world of finance, and its famous convicted stock swindler with his raunchy debauchery, is what makes The Wolf of Wall Street so captivating.

The film, which opens in U.S. theaters on Christmas Day, is based on the memoir of disgraced stockbroker Jordan Belfort. He made a fortune by defrauding clients and then spending his paycheck on expensive cars, hookers, homes, a yacht, and all the alcohol and drugs he could intake.

In the three-hour, R-rated film, Leonardo DiCaprio's Belfort is shown as another Gordon Gekko from Wall Street. He leads a pack reminiscent of Goodfellas, but without the guns, and he sits on his high throne like the Godfather, but without the Italian accent. Belfort gives a metaphoric middle finger to authorities monitoring his movements and those of his 'mob' guys.

DiCaprio plays the best bulls--ter in the stockbroking business, and teaches his team to be just as good as him. He trains them to be "telephone terrorists" by worming their way into people's pockets with just the right string of words to reel them in and keep them hooked. He and his rat pack of a firm sell schemes in a ploy to fill their own pockets, not their clients'.

The Martin Scorsese film is successful in portraying the ruthlessness of that which is Wall Street, and the cunning and deceptive qualities required to stay on the block, though many might be hesitant to make the admittance. At the same time, it shows how lust and greed can destroy people just as fast as it can raise them up.

I saw the movie at a theater not far from Wall Street and half of the room was filled with 'Suits,' as some may call them. They laughed at parts that might not have been comedic to most people and screamed "Yeah!" once or twice with their Jersey Shore-esque fists in the air.

It was because of the film's realism; because some of them could relate to the crazy life of a persuasive/manipulative stockbroker that can make any deal sound good; and because some of them wish they could make a quarter of a million dollars with one phone call and then go back to the house and hot wife Belfort had.

The feature comes fully equipped with more than an ample amount of drugs, nudity and sex, both in and out of the work place (and on a plane, and in a limo, and involving a dominatrix with a candle). However, the orgies and similar sexual scenes served to provide background and show how Belfort 'gifted' his stockbrokers for bringing in the big numbers. It also showed how they survived the day with the help of pills, or a certain white powder and a rolled up $100 bill.

DiCaprio admitted that he filmed all the scenes himself -- raunchy ones included --without a stunt double.

Jamie Dornan, before you go all Christian Grey on us, you might want to get some pointers from the veteran on how to nab yourself a Golden Globe nomination for Best Performance by a Lead Actor.

Viewers learn to adore and also loathe Belfort's devotion to be successful, though his efforts come at a price. His obsessive tendencies leak into every aspect of his life: he is both a sex and drug addict, and the same can be labeled for his psychological necessity to be and stay rich. The once middle-class boy from Queens, with an ambition bigger than himself, is tenacious about his fortune and risks his life for it at every chance.

The comic relief provided by the cast -- Matthew McConaughey as DiCaprio's somewhat mentor, Jonah Hill with his bleached-white teeth as Belford's second in command and a guy you come to know as Rugrat -- makes the film worthy of its 2014 Golden Globe nomination for Best Motion Picture in a Musical or Comedy. There is also speculation of more to come when the Oscar nominations are announced on Jan. 16.

Watching the characters on drugs transcends audiences to a new level of humor. In addition, who knew seeing such a big, tough Jewish boy from Queens take crap from a semi-dorky and sarcastic Hill would be so humorous.

If you are not laughing, there is something wrong with you, not the film.

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